Automatic fire-alarm.



E. A. GBHRKB.

AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM. APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 22, 1913.

1,093,395. 4 Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES IN! '[iVY'O/C E. A. GBHRKE.

AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1913.

1,093,395, Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR I WW I k 1 5 Attorney EDWARD A. GEHRKE, onLm'ooLn, NEBRASKA.

AUTOMATIC FIBE ALARM.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914..

Application filed march 22, 1913. Serial no. 756,186.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. GEHRKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Alarms of which the following is'a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a fire alarm, and has special reference to a device which is providedwith thermostatic means for turning in the alarm when the heat reaches a predetermined point.

Another object, of this invention is the production of a. simple means whereby an alarm may be turned in by hand, and which is used in combination with means for preventing the several parts from becoming injured.

VViththese and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is aperspective view of the fire alarm. Fig.

' 2 is a central longitudinal sectional View of the device. Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the base plate, the spring and contact arm. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line H of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow.. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a. portion of the base plate. Fig. 6 is a. plan. view of the blank from which the spring andfcontact arm are made. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the contact post.

Referrin to the accompanying drawings by numera s, 1 designates the base plate which is provided with 1ateral1y-bent flanges 2. This base late 1 is rovided with a. binding post 3 w ich is he (1 upon the plate by means of a nut 4. The up r portion of this binding post 3 is provi ed with a slot 5 in which the thermostatic strip 6 is positioned. This thermostatic stri 6 is held in place by means of a. screw 7. he outer portion of the thermostatic strip is provided with a laterally-bent contact arm 8, which arm 8 terminates in a-twisted portion 9 for forming an eflicient contact member. In-

7 termediatethe ends of theerm 8 there is provided ani'ndicating arm 10 which is provided with a. suitable operetin member 11. The plate is also provlded with a contact post 12 having a pair of arms 13 and an predetermined point the efi'ect upon the position by means thermostatic strip will cause the same to expand, whereby the arm 8 will be moved to one side, at which time the twisted portion 9 will come in engagement with the contact screw 15, and the circuit will close for turning in analarm. It will, of course,

be obvious that the lower portions of the binding and contact posts are provided with electric means for forming a circuit.

In order to inclose the several parts of this device there is provided a suitable hood 1'? having atransverse slot 18 through which the arm 10 is adapted to pass. A spring finger 19 is positioned upon the side of this hood 17, which carries, at its upper end, a transverse bar 20. As this finger 19 is secured at one end only to the side of the hood, there will be allowed considerable play when the member 11 is bronght into engagement with the bar 20, whereby when an alarm is turned in by hand, there will be no danger of breaking the spring finger from the side of the casing. By means of this spring finger 19 and thebar 20 a. person will know which way to pull the member 11 for manually operating the device as the finger and bar will serve as an indicating member.

The flanges 2 are provided with apertures 21 adapted to register with the apertures 22 formed in the hood, whereby bolts 23 may be passed therethrough for holding the late in engagement with the hood. It wil be further seen that the hood and plate are each rovided with a. plurality of apertures 24:, w ich are adapted to allow the heat to have free access to the interior of the hood for expanding the thermostatic strip 6. It will also be seen that the binding post 3 is provided with an insulated washer 25 and the insulated block 26' which are held in position by means of the flange 26 and the nut 4 whereby the post will be supported upon the base without causing a short cir cuit by coming into contact with said base.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen'that a sim le device has been produced, which will efficiently close a circuit for turn- ..ing infan alarm when the heat reaches a predetermined point, or by use of which an alarm may be turned in by manually operating the device,

' Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

A fire alarm comprising a. base plate, a hood carriedfby said base plate, a binding post earriedby said base plate, a thermostatic strip carried by send binding post said thermostatic strip provided with a laterally-bent Contact arm, said arm terminoting in a twisted portion, said arim also provided with, a vertically-extending indicating arm, said hood provided with a transverse slot, said indicating erm passing through ssid slot and iizwing at its upper end, a horizontal operating member, a spring finger carriedby the side of said hood, adjacent sziid slot, said spring finger provided with a transverse loor e- Contact post carried by said plate and provided with an adjustable contact screw, said hood messes end plate provided with a, plurality of openings, whereby the test may be ellowed to simulate Within said hood for expanding said thermostatic strip so as to move said twisted portion and said contact arm in engegement with said contact screw, electric means connected to the lower portions of said posts for forming s circuit when seid contact arm engages said contact post, and said spring finger adapted to give slightly when said operating member strikes the same when the circuit is closed loy hand, whereby said spring finger Wiil be prevented from breaking off the side of the *iood.

in testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD A. *Witnesses:

' @LLHJ Entries, .11. A. Hnirrem 

